Everyday Highschool
by TrinityFox
Summary: Set in a modern day highschool. Another Zutara fanfic, with mild Taang and Sukka. Rated T for language, still in progress.
1. Partners

**Author's Note ::** Another Zutara fanfic. Mostly because I can't stay focused with one thing for very long before getting side tracked...x3 Anyway, here it is. I am still working on Water and Fire, but I'm also working on this one as well. Yay!

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. That belongs to Mike and Bryan. I only own the few characters I end up creating myself when I'm not lazy.

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**Everyday High School**

_-- Partners --_

She sighed, school was just getting more and more boring, and it was only the second week. The high school freshman was sitting in her second period class, staring away into space and ignoring whatever it was that her teacher was rambling on about. Across from her was a sophomore, sixteen years old and really not paying any attention either. They were both sitting in their Language Studies class, along with many other students, including the freshman girl's brother.

The girl had a darkened tan, which was accentuated by her long, dark brown, and slightly wavy hair. Those tresses of hair were close enough to being a black in coloration, and were left to fall loosely down to the middle of her back in soft curls. She had crystal clear pools of blue for eyes that had seen through all fourteen years of her life. She wasn't the tallest person, standing around five feet and five inches. She was dressed in a simple blue t-shirt that had some random, black, oriental designs on it that hugged upon her slender torso and suttle curves slightly. Upon her lower half was a simple pair of baggy blue jeans, which fell over her feet even as she sat down. Her feet were covered in a pair of thick black stockings and a pair of black converse low-tops. As stated before, she had a brother, who was also suffering in this class along with her. She lived with her father and grandmother in a small house not too far from the school itself. Her mother had died a few years earlier, and the poor girl was still haunted by it.

The boy, on the other hand, was pale and had shaggy black hair that covered the majority of his face. He had golden eyes hiding behind those locks, piercing and bright. He was rather tall, nearly six feet in height, but that really wasn't anything special, if you thought about it. A pair of baggy black jeans covered his legs, which led down to a pair of simplistic black and white Etnies shoes. Now, upon his torso was a simple white, baggy shirt beneath a black over-shirt. Nothing too special, really. The sixteen year old wasn't really anything to look at, just your average teenage boy that didn't fit in with really anyone. He had a younger sister, who was a freshman and two years younger than him. He resented the fact that he even had a sister. He lived with his uncle, as his father had kicked him out of the house and his mother had left about four years ago.

They both came out of their daze as they heard their names being called by the teacher. The girl looked around, wondering who the hell she had been paired with and why the hell she had been paired with them. She poked the person sitting next to her, a girl who was a year older than her in age, but in the same grade level.

"What are we doing?" She asked, her voice barely over a whisper so as to not disturb anyone else around them.

"Um…we're supposed to pair up with whoever she assigns us to and then translate the passage we've been reading."

"Oh…right…" Katara stated, a tad embarrassed that she had not been paying attention to what was going on.

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The teacher finished calling out the partners and everyone began moving around the room to get acquainted with the assignment and their new, or old, partners. Katara smiled softly as she gathered her things from her desk. She had been paired with a boy named Zuko, someone she didn't know…well, obviously. She grumbled to herself as she looked around for her partner, wondering who the hell this person was. Zuko, on the other hand, was not so eager to find his partner. The outcast boy merely remained seated at his desk, head in his hands and elbows resting on the wooden desktop as he waited for his partner, some 'Katara' person, to find him.

She did eventually find Zuko, but not until she asked the instructor just who the hell she was partnered with. She did feel incredibly embarrassed when the woman pointed towards the boy with shaggy black hair and an anti-social demeanor. Katara made her way over where he sat and pulled up a desk in front of him. Zuko looked up as a medium-sized tan girl with long brown hair made her way to his desk and then pulled another desk up in front of him. He then sat up in his seat, keeping his arms crossed in front of him.

"Um…hi. I'm Katara…" She stated, looking rather nervous as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Hi…" He stated, his golden eyes staring at nervous tinges in her blue ones behind his hair, a soft smirk on his face.

"So…um…did you want to translate the first, or second half?"

"Whatever. I don't really care."

"Oh. Um, alright. I'll…I'll do the first half, then."

"Right." He took the book they had been given at the beginning of the class, flipped to lesson three, pulled out a piece of paper, and began the work.

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**Author's Note :: **Just a note, but Zuko doesn't have his scar in this one. I'm too lazy to think of a way that he got it to make it seem at least...realistic as far as being modern times goes...

I edited Azula's age in this. I had a mix up, because my friend is a doofus and told me that 'Zula-dearest was older than Zuko. Hmph...well, turns out she's only fourteen[but she sure as hell doesn't act like it...glare. So I edited that part just for my readers! 3 Don't you guys feel special?


	2. Two Weeks Later

**Author's Note :: **So...chapter two! I'm actually quite amazed with myself that I've actually gotten Chapter Two up this quick...x3 So amazing for me, anyway. Um...what else? Let's see...oh yes! Read and Review, please! 3

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters.

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**Everyday High School**

_-- Two Weeks Later --_

Two weeks later, and Zuko and Katara had really not talked to one another again. Katara had watched him from across the line of desks. She tried to hide her looking at him, but she failed nearly always. When Zuko caught her, however, he just rolled his golden eyes and would go back to whatever the hell he was doing. Katara had begun hanging around with the girl she had sat next to in her class. The girl was in most of her classes, and was only a year older than her. The girl was Ty Lee and she was bubbly, up beat, and very talkative. Katara, on the other hand, was rather quiet and distant. However, she still enjoyed her time with Ty Lee. Especially since her two best friends were two years younger than her, and still in the seventh grade.

Katara was walking through the hall from her second period class, towards her locker and bound for the cafeteria, as she saw Zuko talking to another girl, a friend of Ty Lee's and a mere acquaintance of Katara's. Her heart dropped, and she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like she liked Zuko or anything…did she? No, she didn't. He was arrogant, and anti-social, and…and…and so, incredibly cute. She sighed as she turned down the hall, away from the pair of Zuko and, oh what was her name? Mai? Yeah, that was it. She grumbled something about hating that terribly boring and bland girl as she made her way towards her locker. She ran into Ty Lee as she was about to hit the cafeteria for lunch.

"Hey Katara! Do you want to go to lunch with me, Azula, and Mai?"

"Um…sure…" Katara stated, turning towards her friend as she caught sight of her brother, sitting with his girlfriend at their usual table. She bit down on her lip, thinking of what it could have been like if Zuko was in Sokka's place and she in Suki's. She shook her mind out of these thoughts as Ty Lee began dragging her away to meet the other girls. Azula was Zuko's younger sister. Not a very nice girl, mind you, and she really didn't like Katara. She damned near always ragged on everyone in school. Yeah, Azula was definitely that cocky, bitchy girl who was always full of herself. Katara hated those types of girls, but she dealt with it because she was Ty's friend. Mai, on the other hand, was quiet and distant. She thought everything was dreadfully boring, and wasn't happy with anything. She was spoiled, that was for damn sure.

Katara was being dragged by the wrist to outside, where the other two girls, and an angry looking Zuko, waited for them. Katara merely blushed slightly when she saw him, and then her blush melted away and a quiet form of jealousy reached its way into her heart and mind as she found that Zuko and Mai had their arms wrapped around one another. She looked away to see Azula scowling at her younger brother, the eighteen year old girl angered that she was going to have to actually spend lunch with that wretched disgrace upon her family.

Zuko had been dating Mai for about a week and a half now, secretly, of course. Now, they had decided to bring it out into the open. And, much to his dismay, that included having to bare lunch with his sister. How he hated that girl. She was their father's favorite and was always such a bratty, smart ass bitch to everyone. Of course she was spoiled. Wasn't an outcast. And she was popular. He had his arms around his girlfriend as they waited for the arrival of the jumpy, upbeat freshman, Ty Lee. He didn't really enjoy her happy attitude. It reminded him of a clown…and he was definitely not one fond for clowns. Behind her, however, he noticed that she was dragging along a girl that looked like she was about to have her wrist pulled off. Looking closer, he found that it was that girl he had been partnered up with in that stupid Language Studies class two weeks ago. She was cute, he had to admit, but she didn't seem to be his…type. Besides, he was dating Mai. Why would he want to date a freshman who seemed incredibly out of place at this high school?

He turned back to his girlfriend as everyone else greeted the Katara girl and they began debating on where they were going to go for those forty-five minutes of freedom that they were given each day for lunch. They finally just decided on the pizza place down the street, and apparently close to where Katara lived. Not that he cared or anything, food was food.

----

Nothing really interesting had happened at lunch that day, they had merely ordered a simple pizza and ate in silence, Katara felt really quite…_awkward_ around the rest of the girls and Zuko. Yeah, especially awkward around Zuko. Considering the fact that the last words she had said to him was something stupid about a class project that they had to do. She cursed herself for being so damned…shy all the time. They had gotten back to school with about twenty minutes to spare, so Katara left her 'friends' to go join her brother and his girlfriend.

"Where were you, Katara? I looked all over for you!"

"Sorry, Sokka…Ty Lee swept me away for lunch and I couldn't get a hold of you…"

"Why didn't you just call me on your cell phone?"

"Because I don't have mine, and if I did, your's wouldn't have been on anyway…"

"Right…well, next time tell us before you're going off campus. Got it?"

"Sokka, chill out. She's just a girl, having fun. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"No…"

"Good. How was lunch, anyway, Katara?" Suki asked, smiling with her bright green eyes. This girl had shoulder-length brown hair, which hung loosely from her head and ended with a little bob. She was Sokka's age, sixteen. However, she was a grade above seeing as how, well, she was like Katara in the aspect that she was one of the youngest in her grade. She wore a simple black beater upon her torso, which accented her curves nicely along with the pair of skinny jeans upon her legs.

"Awkward…really, really awkward…"

"Ah, I see." The older girl stated, reaching into her pocket for her cell phone. She looked at the time before stuffing it back into its place.

"Well, I'm off to class. Talk to you later Katara, see you Sokka." She stated, kissing her boyfriend before making her way off to her fourth period class. Katara sighed and leaned back, wondering why that girl was always so early to all of her classes. It just simply didn't make sense to her. But whatever. She checked her own, crappy-ass cell phone for the time. They still had five minutes until the first bell rung, still time to do a whole lot of nothing before class started.

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**Author's Note ::** No! Not Maiko: ( I promise, it won't last very long considering the fact that I cannot stand Mai...she reminds me of my ex-best-friend...and I'd much rather not have to deal with her once again... Anyway, read and review, please:3 


	3. Homecoming

**Author's Note ::** It's amazing! Two chapter updates in one day? I must be crazy insane! Either that or really getting addicted to this FanFic...x3 Yeah, that must be it. Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter, so read and review!

**Disclaimer ::** I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. That belongs to Mike and Bryan. I only own the few characters I end up creating myself when I'm not lazy.

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**Everyday High School**

_-- Homecoming --_

Ah yes, the week that they had all been waiting for. The last week in September. Homecoming Week. The only week where everyday had a different theme for dressing up and you didn't have to follow that damned awful dress code. The overall theme for Homecoming? 'Traveling Through Time.'" Yep, that was it. Katara had been waiting for this week her entire Freshman year. Which had really only been about a month and a half so far. Actually, she had waited for Homecoming since the eighth grade, when her brother got to go to Homecoming and she couldn't because she was still in middle school. That really bummed her out. And now, here she was, able to go to homecoming and more excited than ever.

It was Sunday, still, and Katara was hanging around in her room with her two best friends, Toph and Aang. They were, again, two grades below her and two years younger than she. Toph was blind, with short black hair cut in the same fashion as Suki's, however she had bangs that fell down just past her brows. She also wore a green headband. And almost green everything. She wore a pair of baggy shorts and a loose t-shirt. Yes, she was most definitely a tomboy.

Aang, on the other hand, was bald. His eyes were silver and he had pale skin. Hell, almost everyone but Katara and Sokka had pale skin. Well, kind of. At least of their friends, they did. Aang wore a pair of simple blue jeans and a yellow t-shirt. His normal attire. Both of her friends were barefoot and sitting on her floor, staring up towards her direction as Katara threw clothes out behind her.

"You know, SugarQueen, I don't see why you're getting so worked up about this stupid Homecoming shit." Ah yes, the ever joyous voice of Toph piped up as another shirt landed on her lap. The blind girl rolled her pale, mint eyes as she sighed slightly, waiting for an answer from the blue-eyed girl as she poked her head back out of the closet.

"Toph…this is big. Okay? It's my first real…_event_ as a high schooler. I want to make it as memorable as possible." Katara slipped back into her small closet, rummaging around for something she could wear tomorrow. Toph looked over in the direction of Aang, smirking slightly.

"Won't it just happen again next year? And the year after that? And the year after that?"

"Yeah, but still. This is the Freshman one and -"

"'And there will never be another Freshman Homecoming.' Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get the drill, SugarQueen."

"Good."

Aang looked over to where his friend was hiding, his silver eyes trying to catch any glimpse of her he could. It was true, he liked her, and he had even told her. But she had only said no. She told him that he was a brother to her…nothing else. He still had yet to get over his crush on his older, best friend. But he also had a small liking for Toph. He was just not sure of her feelings for him. He looked over to Toph, raising a brow at his friend as she looked over in his direction and started talking to Katara. Ah yes, Toph was so incredibly confusing.

"Toph, why are you talking to me?"

"Because I like seeing your face, TwinkleToes." Toph said, smiling as she waved her pale hand in front of her unseeing eyes.

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The next Saturday had arrived and Katara was lazing around in her room once again with Toph and Aang. Her brother and Suki had decided to join the three as they talked about random nothingness.

"So, who are you going to the dance with, Katara?" Toph asked, taunting her slightly considering the fact that Katara had no date and Toph couldn't go.

"Toph…gods, you're so annoying…"

"What, SugarQueen? Got a problem with it?"

"No…I don't. You're just being annoying as all hell."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to entertain myself here."

"Yeah, well, can't you do it without being so annoying?"

"Nope. It's just what I do!"

"…Of course it is, Toph." Katara stated, glaring at the little twelve year old girl. Aang looked between the two, wondering if he should say anything or not. His two best friends were always…fighting, it seemed. They were just way too different, he supposed. Different personalities, and the like.

"So…um…when is the dance, anyway, Katara?"

"Tonight. It's eight to eleven…should be at least somewhat fun."

"Who are you going to hang out with there?"

"Probably just Ty Lee, Mai, and Azula…"

"Don't you hate Mai and Azula, though?" Suki piped in, a small smirk on her face as she sat on Sokka's lap.

"Um…yeah. But they're Ty Lee's friends…so, whatever."

"Hmm…whatever."

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The rest of the day ended up going like that, with random topics popping up here and there. Toph taunted them all at least once, pulled at least three blind cards on them, and then decided that she had enough and should probably be home working on her science project. Aang joined her as they left, for he too had to work on that damned science project and was no where near close to even starting it. Katara had bade her friends a good bye as they left. A few minutes later, Suki and Sokka had bade their good byes and went off to do whatever the hell they had first planned to do.

Katara had then proceeded to spend the rest of her time trying to get ready for the dance. She still had a little over two hours before the dance, but she was like Suki in the sense that she liked getting ready early. She pulled on her dress and made adjustments to it, making sure that the dark blue fabric of it fell the way it was supposed to. Ah yes, her dress. It was dark blue with silver sparkles upon the skirt. It looked like the night sky, and that was why she had always liked it. It had been her dress since the seventh grade…and it still fit her. She smiled softly to herself as she ran a brush through her hair, she was in the bathroom and had come out of the shower about an hour or so ago and her hair was just now dry enough to allow her to get her hair done without it getting screwed up an hour and a half into the dance. She left her hair down, draped over her shoulders and falling loosely down her back. Her long bangs, however, were separated into two segments, one on each side of her head. She had strung a bead through those strands of hair to sit at the roots of her hair. She made sure that the beads would stay in place before she reached forward to grab a stick of black eyeliner. She applied a rather…_thick_ layer of the makeup around her sapphire eyes before she moved out of her room. Yeah, eyeliner was the only makeup that she wouldn't refuse to wear. That and maybe a really, really basic, really matte lip gloss. But she chose not to apply that 'accessory' this night.

She exited the bathroom and walked brusquely over to her room, hearing Suki badger Sokka about getting ready for the dance. She smirked as she closed the door behind her, her blue eyes looking over to her digital clock quietly. It read that it was just passed seven o'clock. She had wanted to get there no later than a quarter till, but she would have preferred seven thirty. Of course, knowing Suki, that would be when they arrived. Whatever. It worked for her. She sighed softly to herself as she made her way over to her dresser, where a simple, black and silver mask lay waiting for her. The mask matched her dress, black with silver, shining specks around it. The night sky. Her nimble fingers picked up the hardened fabric and fastened it over her face. It was a nice fit, especially for being something that she had bought for two bucks at the local thrift store. She smiled softly, pulling her hair out of the edges of it and making it fall over the elastic that held it there. She was excited for this masquerade-themed dance. Everything was going to be so…_exciting._

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**Author's Note :: **Yes, I did bring in Toph and Aang to this chapter. Because I had a few requests that they come in sometime soon. I was planning on it anyway, but I was just unsure how the hell to get it all worked out. But, I figured it out. Yay me. Anyway, the next chapter will probably be up tomorrow...because I really enjoy writing this story...and I mean really enjoy. I'll actually probably end up finishing this one before I finish the first one I've got up here, mainly because I tend to have more fun writing something that I can get more in to...but whatever. Alright, alright! I'll shut up now! Geeze...

Oh, again; Read and Review, please!


	4. The Dance

**Author's Note :: **So, chapter four! Yay! Um...yeah. I'm not sure what to say about this chapter, other than the fact that...I dunno. Read and review, please!

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. That belongs to Mike and Bryan. I only own the few characters I end up creating myself when I'm not being lazy. Oh, and of course the stories I write.

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**Everyday High School**

_-- The Dance --_

Zuko was dressed in a simple pair of black slacks and a black dress shirt. Not very different in his attire, really. Save for the slacks, of course. He had combed his hair out and had it sweeping to one side. There was a silk black mask that found itself crossing his eyes. Damn this stupid Masquerade dance. He entered alone. Mai ended up breaking things off with him the night before. He wouldn't have come, but the simple fact remained that he had spent ten bucks on the stupid ticket for this gatheration of people he couldn't stand. Mai was there too, of course with his sister and her friends. He saw that Katara girl again, looking really uncomfortable around the group of three. He smirked slightly as he turned back to wait in the other line heading into the dance.

Katara had arrived to find Mai looking pissed off, as if that was anything new, and Ty Lee chatting about how boys were stupid. She looked over at Azula, who seemed to hate the idea of her having a brother even more than usual. Especially since she was giving her older brother a glare that could kill if it had the power. Katara only looked over to the sophomore boy and blushed slightly, hoping that the other girls had not noticed. She would never hear the end of it and Mai would surely hurt her. She sighed as she turned to her 'friends.' Well, she couldn't really call any of them her friends. Other than Ty Lee, of course. The other two were mere acquaintances, and they didn't seem to like Katara too much. Of course, then again, Katara didn't really care. She enjoyed Ty Lee's company at the high school, and found that it was okay for her. She didn't need a whole lot of friends to be happy in her life.

The doors to the gym opened and the teachers and school security guards began taking tickets. Katara's blue eyes followed Zuko quietly while she made her way into the gym quietly. She went to join her little group, watching the mysterious boy out of the corners of her eyes still.

About halfway through, Zuko got an idea to piss Mai off. Just because he could. He saw her standing around while her friends danced around her, which just made him smile slightly despite himself. He made his way over to the little cluster of girls and tapped that Katara girl on the shoulder. Azula gave him a glare and Mai looked like she was about to die when the young freshman turned around. Katara nearly fell over herself when she saw who had tapped her on the shoulder. She was sure that he wouldn't even recognize her after having been her partner for that stupid Language class. And now, here he was, holding out his hand for her to take and ready to lead her away to dance. Her cheeks flushed a rather pink and noticeable color as she quickly look back to Ty Lee. The girl shrugged and Katara turned back to Zuko.

"You want to dance, or what?"

"Um…y…yeah, sure."

"Cool."

Zuko then proceeded to lead the girl away, Mai and Azula both gaping after him. Both girls furious with the sixteen year old boy. Zuko and Katara danced for a few songs, not saying anything and Zuko always looking back over. After the third song, however, was half way through, Katara took notice of where he was looking. She sighed, she knew it was to good to be true. She looked up at Zuko quietly before sighing again.

"Yeah…I knew it was too good to be true…" Katara stated sadly, turning around and beginning to take her leave. However, the boy noticed and quickly grabbed her.

"Where are you going? I thought you were having fun…"

"I was but…you keep looking over at Mai and…well…"

"You think I'm trying to make her jealous."

"Yeah…basically."

"Sort of…"

"Wow…thanks." She stated sarcastically, rolling her blue eyes as she made the move to turn around and leave once again.

"Wait, don't go."

"Why? You're just trying to get Mai jealous…"

"Yeah…well. I kinda like dancing with you too…" That made Katara's cheeks flush once again before she smirked slightly.

"Right…I'm sure you do." Again with the sarcasm.

"No, really…I do…"

"Look, I'm going to go join my brother and his girlfriend. I'm tired of dancing." And with that, Katara left both her friends and her crush to go join Sokka and Suki sitting at a table eating the few refreshments that the school had chosen to provide. She caught Zuko looking at her from across the room more than a few times, and each of those times she would look away and pretend to be engaging her brother in conversation. Then again, she also caught Mai looking Zuko and vice versa. She sighed. High school drama was really, really too much.

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The next day, Katara woke up to her father yelling for her to come downstairs. Apparently, someone had decided to be such a pain in the ass to her, that they had to give her a wake up call at eight thirty in the morning after she had been out of the house until well near one thirty in the morning(Sokka and Suki had decided to get dinner after the dance, and then wanted to get ice cream, so they had to drive around town to find a place that sold their kind of ice cream at one in the morning). Needless to say, she was not the happiest sounding person when she answered the phone after she had finally trudged downstairs.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Katara." It was Ty Lee. Of course she was up at eight thirty, that girl, apparently, was always up with the sun. Personally, Katara found that she was crazy insane.

"Oh, hey Ty Lee. Why did you have to call at eight thirty?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot that you like sleeping in."

"Yeah, as much as I can…"

"Sorry."

"It's fine. What did you want, anyway?"

"What did Zuko say to you? I mean, at the dance, last night?"

"Um…nothing, really. He kept looking over at Mai and then said that he was just trying to get her jealous…"

"Through dancing with you? Well, it sure as hell worked…"

"Yeah, I kind of noticed through the death glares…"

"Yeah, I figured."

"So, is that all you wanted? I want to go back to sleep if I can…"

"Oh…yeah…sorry I woke you. It's just Mai's over here and she's -" From this point, the back noises of Mai yelling at Ty Lee could be heard through the phone.

"Why did she even break up with him if she knew she wasn't over him?"

"I have no idea…"

"Strange."

"Yeah…well, I better let you go. Get some sleep if you can. Again, sorry for waking you up."

"It's okay. Talk to you later, Ty Lee…"

"Talk to you later, Katara." With that, the click could be heard from the other side and Katara soon hung up the phone as well. The blue-eyed girl then proceeded to make her way back upstairs and into her bed. However, a mere few seconds later, her father's voice could be heard calling up to her once again for the phone, sending a pissed off Katara back out of her bed and downstairs to go join the kitchen phone once again.

"What the hell do you want now, Ty Lee?"

"Well, I'm sorry…" The voice on the other side was not Ty Lee. In fact, it was not a female's voice at all, but in fact it was a male's voice. Katara blinked and swallowed quietly, sitting down on the stool next to the wall phone quietly.

"Um…who is this?"

"It's Zuko. Who-"

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**Author's Note :: **Le gasp! Zuko calling Katara's house? Can we say stalker? No, not really...he's not stalking her, he just...well, you'll find out in the last chapter! Again, read and review, please! 


	5. The Cell Phone

**Author's Note :: **Geeze, about time I get the next chapter up, yea? Well, anyway, here in this chapter we find out if Zuko is a crazy stalker or not... I should be getting to the fluff soon...don't worry... So yeah. Read and review, please!

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar; the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike and Bryan. I only own the stories I write and the various, random characters I put in here when I'm not feeling lazy.

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**Everyday High School**

_-- The Cell Phone --_

"Zuko? How the hell did you get my phone number?"

"You dropped your cell phone when you got up from sitting with your brother."

"I did not…"

"Yes…yes you did."

"What does it look like, then?"

"It's a dark red flip phone that has a big black screen on the front of it with a clock in it. The antenna looks like it's been chewed on. And when you turn it on, the message says 'Katara's phone, don't touch.'"

"Then why are you touching it?"

"Because I had to get a hold of you somehow. Your phone has been going off like crazy. Do you even have voicemail on this thing?"

"No…I don't."

"That's why. Wait…you don't? Why?"

"Why is that important? What do you want?"

"I wanted to give you your phone back and…well…maybe apologize for the dance."

"Oh…I'm sure you did."

"I'm serious, freshman."

"I'm sure you are, sophomore. And thanks for pointing out the obvious, I'm pretty sure that I already know I'm a freshman."

"Yeah, well, I could say the same to you."

"Whatever. So you have my phone, do you? Well, why didn't you just wait until Monday?"

"Because someone named Toph keeps calling. And it could be important."

"Gods damn it, Toph…"

"…right…anyway, what do you want me to do with it?"

"Just turn it off, I'll get it tomorrow…"

"Right…got it."

"So, can I go now? You're the second person to wake me up…"

"Nope." Katara growled when she heard Zuko's answer.

"Zuko…what do you want?"

"Oh, right. I was actually wondering if…um. I could make up what I did to you last night with lunch tomorrow…"

"Zuko. I'm finding it hard to believe…"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't tell if you're being serious or not…"

"Well, why not?"

"I don't know. Maybe something about last night?"

"Right, which is why I'm asking you this now…"

"Oh yes, to make up for it?" Again, her voiced dripped with sarcasm.

"Yeah, something like that." That sing sentence made Katara want to hang up and never talk to that boy again. Hell, she never wanted to look at him again at this point.

"You know, Zuko, I think I'm going to go…" She sounded incredibly annoyed at this point.

"Um, wait. What about your phone?"

"I told you, just turn it off and give it to me tomorrow, okay?"

"Um…right."

"Bye Zuko." And with that, the girl hung up the phone and left her post. Her brother had come down sometime within that conversation and was currently looking at her with a raised brow.

"Why were you talking to that Zuko kid? Katara, I told you. He's bad news…"

"Because that asshole has my cell phone."

"Why didn't he just wait until tomorrow?" He asked, suspicious as to why else that sixteen year old trouble maker had called his house.

"I don't know, Sokka. He's a guy. Guys are stupid."

"Yes, yes they are. Hey! Wait a second!" But Katara was already gone, back up the stairs and into her bed. She was going to try and get more sleep, if it was ever going to come to her again. Back downstairs, her father, Hakoda, as berating his son about his sister's phone calls. However, Sokka was just as lost as his father.

----

The next day in the second period of the day, Katara was once again paired with Zuko. Much to her displeasure. She had already gotten her phone back, Azula had given it to her before the school day had even begun. She didn't say anything, just handed Katara the piece of technology and walked off. It was obvious that she and Mai were pissed at her for dancing with Zuko the other night.

The girl sighed as she gathered her things, got a look from Ty Lee, and moved over to sit next to the boy. He only smirked as she came over and proceeded to continue watching her with those golden eyes behind his hair. Katara dropped her things quietly on the desk and pulled out a piece of paper. This damned thing was gong to turn out like their last partnership in this class, she knew it.

"Zuko…"

"Katara…"

"So, do you want to do the first half, or the second half?" Unlike their first encounter, however, her voice sounded not nervous, but annoyed.

"Whatever."

"…of course. I'll do the first half."

"Whatever."

"Gods, you are so infuriating…"

"Oh what? Did Azula not give you your phone back?"

"Oh, no. She did. You're just being infuriating…"

"How so?"

"…Zuko?"

"What?"

"Shut up and get to work…" Katara stated dryly, beginning to scratch her translation to the stupid assignment on the piece of paper in front of her.


	6. Dinner and a Movie

**Author's Note :: **So, the sixth chapter. Wow, I'm really getting a move on in this story, aren't I? Anyway, I just wanted to thank all those of you who enjoy this story and keep reading it. It really makes me happy! Well, here we are with chapter six of Everyday Highschool...yay! Read and Review, please!

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar; the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike and Bryan. I only own the stories I write and the few characters I create upon my own volition when I'm not being lazy. Besides, if I did own Avatar, then Zuko and Katara would have been together at the end of the earth book...and Suki would still be...well, around.

* * *

**Everyday High School**

_-- Dinner and a Movie --_

"So, have you thought about my offer from yesterday?" Zuko finally spoke up, having nearly completed his half of the work.

"What offer, Zuko?" Katara looked up from her paper, which she was just now proof reading.

"You know, me making up for things with lunch…"

"Oh…right."

"Well, have you?"

"No. Not really." There went that annoyed voice once again.

"Well, why not?"

"Because, Zuko. You're an annoying twit."

"I'm sorry. You're a freshman."

"Just shut up." Zuko shrugged at her reaction before turning back to his paper. He finished another sentence before stopping.

"Hey, what does this mean?"

"What does what mean?" She asked, looking over at where he was pointing in the booklet. She gave him the answer and returned to slouching in her seat, staring at her finished paper.

"Well. Do you want to go to lunch with me, or not?"

"Zuko…I'm not sure that's such a good idea…"

"Fine. Forget I ever asked you to lunch."

"Already done."

"But what about dinner and a movie?"

"…Zuko, can we talk about this later?" Katara asked, nervous slightly. The only reason she had declined lunch was because she wasn't sure if Mai was going to be there. But dinner and a movie? That she had to think about. She sighed inwardly as the boy beside her shrugged and she got another look from Ty Lee.

"I have another question for you, Katara…"

"…and what could that possibly be, Zuko?"

"Why are you friends with Ty Lee? I mean, it doesn't seem like Mai and Azula like you very much. And Ty Lee is always around them. So why her?"

"Um…I don't really know…"

"Hmm…interesting."

"How is that interesting?" Zuko did not respond, however. They stayed in silence until lunch came around. Katara wondering what she should say to Zuko's question for dinner and a movie. Zuko was brooding on the same thing…only it was what she would say, rather than what she should say.

_----_

Zuko walked with her to her brother's usual table for lunch. Surprisingly enough. It made Katara wonder if his intentions really were good. She was in silence most of the lunch period, eating her food and occasionally throwing her opinion out there into the conversation. She had wanted to talk to Zuko a little more before lunch ended, however when Suki dashed off to class, Zuko joined her. It was then Sokka's turn to berate her about this 'older man.'

"So. What are his intentions for my baby sister?"

"Sokka! I don't know! Why do you think I would know?! Gods! I hate men! They're so…so…"

"I'm just worried about you, Katara."

"Gah! That's what I'm talking about! You are just…ugh! I'm leaving. Bye." And with that, an annoyed, and slightly angry, Katara stormed out of the cafeteria, with eyes following her out. Sokka looked around, embarrassed that his sister had attracted the attention of the students sitting at the tables around them. He then slowly got up and sauntered off to class.

----

That night, her cell phone had gone off ten times. Of course, half of those calls were from Toph. The blind girl was seeking solace and condolence in her attempts to ask Aang out on a date. Two calls were from Sokka, who had gone off to Suki's house after school. That brother of hers was asking more and more about Zuko each time he called…and it was starting to get to the point where she just started screening him. He called twice after that. Then her father called, wondering what he should pick up for dinner and if Sokka was going to be there. That made nine, and the tenth call came from Zuko. She had just finished dinner and was clearing up the table when her cell phone began going off. She let it ring, thinking it was Sokka, but then realized that her brother had just walked into the door and it had to have been someone else.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, it's Zuko."

"Oh…um…hi, Zuko."

"So…I was wondering if, maybe - Azula! Shut up! Go away! I'm on the phone!" Katara muffled a snicker as she exited the kitchen and made her way up to her bedroom. There she closed the door behind her and flopped onto her bed. Zuko had been arguing with his sister over stupid crap while she had done so.

"Gods damn that freaking girl…"

"I know how you feel, believe me."

"Yes, but you don't have to live with her."

"True, true. Anyway, what were you saying?"

"Um…crap…what was I saying?"

"Something about you wondering something…" She stated, holding a hand out in front of her and inspecting her bland nails, a bored expression on her quiet face.

"Oh, right…right. Um…I was wondering if you had thought about that dinner and a movie thing, yet."

"Oh…um…yeah, a little." Oh who was she kidding? It had been on her mind all day since he had asked her about it.

"So…? Have you decided?" He asked, he sounded a tad nervous, which made her smirk and shake her head in disbelief on the other side of the line.

"Yeah. I suppose I have."

"And…?"

"Sure. Why not."

"Great! Oh, um…I mean, cool." Zuko nodded, even though the younger girl on the other line couldn't see it.

"…Right."

"So…um, Friday night then, yeah?"

"Sure. Sounds great."

"Okay. I'll uh…see you tomorrow in class?"

"Yes, you will…"

* * *

**Author's Note :: **Squee! Finally some Zutara and a little Taang in there! Well, again, read and review. The next chapter should hopefully be up by tomorrow! Yay! 


	7. Friday Night

**Author's Note :: **Woo! Finally! Chapter seven is up! I've been busy with the holiday season, so I didn't get the chance to finish it up until last night. I would have posted it last night, but I was too tired to... Anyway, more Zutara here. Hope you guys like it, Read and Review, please. Oh, and thank you everyone of my faithful reviewers, I love seeing that I got a review from you guys! It makes me so happy!

**Disclaimer :: **I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike and Bryan as well as Nick, Viacom, etc. I only own the stories that I write and the characters that I end up creating myself when I'm not being lazy.

* * *

**Everyday High School**

_-- Friday Night --_

Katara was combing through her hair that night, Toph had called yet again wondering about what to do for her and Aang's first date. Katara had no answer, and had told her that she had a 'date' coming up soon and she needed to get ready. However, five minutes later, the twelve year old called yet again wondering the same thing.

"Toph, I don't know. What do you like to do?"

"Stare at the clouds…?"

"But you can't see!"

"Exactly! Why else would I stare at the clouds but to see nothing? I mean, come on, how much more fun can you get?"

"Toph…"

"Yes?"

"I really, really need to get ready…"

"Oh, that's right. Who are you going out with, anyway, SugarQueen?"

"No one you would know, trust me…"

"Oh really? I know a lot of people…"

"Well…it's no one. Okay? I have to go. Talk to you later. Don't call me, I'll call you. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, Princess…" With that, both girls closed their cell phones. Katara placed hers on the edge of the sink, having finished combing through her hair halfway through their conversation. At this point, she had a stick of eyeliner in her hand and was drawing a thick line around her crystalline blue eyes. She had almost finished with both eyes when her phone went off _again _below her. She made a growling noise and slammed her eyeliner down on the counter. She now had a line across the side of her head. She grabbed her phone and flipped it open angrily, not bothering to look at the name of the person who had angered her.

"Toph! I told you to leave me alone!"

"Um…who's Toph?" That was the voice of Ty Lee.

"Oh, sorry Ty Lee. I thought you were one of my other friends…"

"Nope. It's just me!"

"Alright."

"What's up?" Katara asked, grabbing a damp towel from the side of the counter and bringing it up to where the eyeliner had strayed from it's tracks.

"Hmm? Oh. I was just wondering if you wanted to come over and stay the night. Mai and Azula are here, so I was wondering…well, you know!"

"Oh. Um…I'm sorry, Ty Lee. But I can't…"

"Why not?"

"Because…I'm going to dinner and then a movie…"

"Oh! What movie? Can we come?"

"Um…actually, I'm kind of going with someone…"

"Who? I'm sure they won't mind if we tag along, will they?"

"It's more of a date, actually…"

"Oh! A date. With who?"

"Um…no one."

"It isn't with Zuko, is it?" She asked, dropping her voice lower. Katara figured it was to make sure that Mai and Azula didn't hear her.

"No…no, it's not…"

"Then who is it with?" The sound of a doorbell on Katara's end could be heard and she cursed herself as she finished cleaning up.

"I have to go, Ty Lee. I'll talk to you later. Okay?"

"Okay! Have fun!"

"Thanks, you too." She stated, sighing as she closed her phone and finished cleaning up. She did one more brush of her dark brown hair. The locks were left loose, part of it draped over her shoulders. She wore a simple black beater, which was contrasting against her darkly tanned skin ever so slightly. Upon her legs was a pair of baggy blue jeans, just another pair of the normal ones she wore. She heard her father calling her and she pocketed her phone in the front right side of her pants. She dodged out the bathroom door and down the steps, seeing Zuko chatting to Hakoda about something. She blushed slightly at the fact that her father and her date were conversing…and seemed to be hitting it off pretty well. Hakoda turned around as his daughter arrived at the area and smiled at her, a signal that they would talk later.

----

Dinner was rather…awkward. They went to the local Applebee's and really didn't have anything interesting to talk about. They brought up their siblings and their interests probably once in the conversation. But other than that, it completely lacked any…well, _interest_. Which was never a good thing on the first date. About halfway through the dinner, Katara began wondering if she should have agreed to let Toph and Aang join along on a double date. She was sure that it would be less stressful…but at the same time, awkward. Having your 'little brother' on your first date? Yeah, if that wasn't awkward, she didn't know what was.

"So…um…what movie are we going to see?" Katara asked timidly, chewing on her lower lip as she did so.

"Hmm? Oh, I thought I'd let you decide…I didn't know what, um…what you would want to see or anything…"

"Oh, cool. But I don't even know what's in the theatres…" She stated, blushing ever so slightly.

"So? We'll decide when we get there…"

"Alright…" She stated, bringing silence over the table once more.

----

The rest of dinner continued on like that, with awkward bits of conversation and then even more awkward bouts of silence. The movie wasn't that great. Katara had chosen to view a movie that she had seen once already and it was full of even more awkwardness between the pair. Zuko drove Katara home in silence, where he simply dropped her off and ensured that she was able to get into her home. Then he drove off to join his uncle at their home a few blocks away.

When Zuko entered through the front door, his uncle was in the sitting room sipping on tea while he read a book.

"Ah, Zuko. How was your date?"

"Fine…"

"That's all you have to say?"

"Yeah, actually…it is."

"Mai called." The old man stated, looking up from his tea and book as Zuko began making his way off to his room.

"What?" The teenager stated with shock, spinning around and staring at his uncle.

"She wanted you to call her back when you got home…" Zuko rolled his eyes as he opened the door and began entering the darkened room.

"I'll talk to her on Monday…" He stated before closing his door in an angry manner. Of course he was angry, he had finally started going out with someone else, not officially of course, but still, and that bitch just had to come back into his life, didn't she? He grumbled as he fell down onto his bed, not bothering to change out of his day clothes. Then again, he never did. He quickly fell asleep, still burning with anger.

----

When Katara got home, Hakoda was standing in front of the door alongside Sokka. Both boys had their arms crossed across their chests, though Hakoda looked a bit more…less violent than Sokka did.

"When were you going to call me to let me know you were going to be home late?"

"Sorry, dad, movie lasted longer than I thought it would."

"Either that or you just had fun with that troublemaking sixteen year old."

"Sokka, shut up."

"Yes, Sokka, please. I get to punish your sister, not you."

"What? Punish? What's that supposed to mean?" Katara asked, disbelief in her eyes.

"Nothing too severe, Katara. Just no phone for a few days. Come on, hand it over." At the mention of her cell phone, she rolled her eyes and fished the thing out of her pants. She handed it over to the man before glaring at her brother.

"Night." She stated, maneuvering around her family and making her way up to her room. Once there, she closed and locked the door behind her. She sighed as she plopped onto her bed, landing on her side and grabbing a sketchbook from the table beside the bed. She pulled the pencil out of the spiral of the thing and flipped it open to the next blank page. With a small sigh, her tan hand began flying across the page as she drew.


	8. Was it Something I Said?

**Author's Note : **Woo! About time that I've got chapter eight up and running. Sure, it is a tad short...but it's done none the less. My next chapter should be up in the next day or two. Depending on my motivation or what's going on in my mind. x3 So yeah. Please, please, please read and review. I greatly appreciate it, so thank you very much.

**Disclaimer : **I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. That belongs to Mike and Bryan. I only own the few characters I end up creating myself when I'm not lazy.

**

* * *

Everyday High School**

_-- Was it Something I Said? --_

Somehow it had gotten 'round to nearly the whole school that Katara had gone on a date with Zuko. After that, Ty Lee refused to talk to her and all she got from Azula and Mai were death glares. She hung around her brother and Suki, knowing full well that she couldn't really find anyone else to hang out with right now. Zuko steered clear away from her, she didn't quite understand why, but it was really quite confusing. She figured it had been something about their date last Friday and something she did. She had gotten her phone back on Sunday, so much for not having it for 'a few days' yeah? Well, overall, Katara's week had not been that great.

They were sitting in class together on Friday, seats opposite one another like always. Golden eyes quietly watched the girl from behind his waterfall of hair. She was sitting with her head propped up on her hand, her blue eyes watching the teacher wander around the room aimlessly. A sigh escaped her lips as she glanced over to him, rolling her eyes sadly as she noticed he was watching her again. It was Friday and still he had yet to say a word to her. Another sigh escaped her lips as the bell rung and everyone gathered their things up in their arms, making their way out of the class to head for lunch. Katara was caught up with the last of the throngs of people exiting. Her brother had beaten her to the door…again. Zuko was behind her, and watching her yet again. She turned a corner and stopped short, turning around and waiting for him to follow her into the unoccupied stairwell. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Zuko slipped into the hallway with her.

"What do you want, Zuko?" Katara asked, he seemed to be a little caught off guard at finding her waiting for him to follow her there.

"I was just -"

"Just what? Stalking me? Great. Thanks." She made the move to turn around and leave, but Zuko grabbed her arm and started pulling her aside from the crowd that began slinking up and down their stairwell.

"I wanted to talk to you I just -"

"Thought that you would stare and follow me until I said something?" She cut him off again, and he was starting to look a tad annoyed.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go to a party that my friend Jun is throwing tomorrow. With me." This time, Katara was the one caught off guard. She quickly move a tan hand to her brown locks, toying with the tresses as she thought.

"What was with you not talking to me all week, hmm?"

"I…I didn't know what to say at all."

"So you decided to avoid me?"

"Um…yeah…?"

"Oh joy! Because that just makes so much sense." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and it reminded him slightly of his sister.

"Look, if you don't want to go, then that's fine. It's just that I…" His voice faded as he saw her roll her eyes. "What?"

"I'll think about it, Zuko. For now, I'm hungry and want lunch. Not only that but your little bitch of a sister is stalking us. Call me later, Zuko." Zuko nodded after her as she left, her brown hair flowing behind her. '_Was it something I said?'_ He wondered to himself as he sighed softly, turning to face Azula and Mai.

"I advise staying away from that freshman, Zuzu. You know how freshmen are…especially one so young as her. If you know what's good for her, you'll stay away from her."

"Since when are you Uncle, Azula? And besides, it's my life…not yours. So back the hell off." Azula scoffed and rolled her eyes and Mai went back to look like her old depressed self once again, though her dark eyes watched her ex quietly with a glare that could have sent thousands of axes into Zuko right at that moment if she gave the word.

Azula shrugged and sighed. "I only thought that you might like my advice, Zuzu. Being with that Freshman isn't going to get you back into father's house. Your rightful home." Dripping with poison, she nodded to Mai, she and her friend turned on their heels and left Zuko in the stairwell. They left him to brood over what they had just offered. A place back into his father's house in return for not dating Katara? Was it really worth it?


	9. They Aren't Real Friends

_**Author's Note : **Woo! About time that I've got chapter nine up and running. My next chapter should be up in the next day or two. Depending on my motivation or what's going on in my mind. x3 So yeah. Please, please, please read and review. I greatly appreciate it, so thank you very much._

_**Disclaimer : **I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. That belongs to Mike and Bryan. I only own the few characters I end up creating myself when I'm not lazy._

* * *

**Everyday High School**

_-- They Aren't Real Friends --_

"So, Katara. About that party tonight…"

"Wondering what my verdict is?"

"Um…yeah, pretty much." Zuko sounded nervous, his heart fluttered as he awaited an answer from his freshman crush. He had spoken with his uncle before he had called Katara, telling him about what Azula said. Iroh had basically concluded that all that Azula was trying to do was to make both his and Katara's lives miserable, and that by following her 'orders' it would only prove to his younger sister that she had control over him. So he had called her. Thank the spirits.

"Um. Hold on. Let me ask my dad about it, okay? It'll be a few minutes, probably. I'll call you back, okay?" She hid her nerves beneath a steady voice, but inside her stomach was doing flips and she was panting to catch up with her heart and mind.

"Right. Sounds good. Talk to you soon?"

"Yeah." With that, Katara brought the phone from her ear and looked down at the screen, waiting for the boy on the other line to hang up first. Yeah, it was a little OCD thing of hers that she couldn't hang up first. But that was just how she ticked. When the symbol on her phone showed that he had indeed hung up, she closed her phone. However, she didn't move from her place in her computer chair. She was nibbling the corner of her lip as she pulled her legs up to her chest. What to do, what to do.

She had told Sokka and Suki about Zuko's invitation over lunch earlier that day and they didn't really know what to do about it either. She sighed, wanting to go to the party with him, but, at the same time, she really didn't want to. Why? Because she didn't want to lose potential friends her age over a boy. Her eyes caught sight of her computer screen as it lit up and showed that she had a new instant message. She smiled as she found who it was from. It was from Ty Lee. She quickly opened it and read over it.

'Hey. What's up?

You going to Haru's party with Zuko?'

Katara blinked. Was she on her side or was she on Azula's side? Sighing, she placed her fingers on the keys and began typing up a reply.

'I don't know yet. I haven't asked my dad about it or anything like that.

Why do you ask?'

It didn't take long for Katara to get a reply from Ty Lee. From her supposed friend.

'Just wondering. Azula isn't happy with it, you know.'

'Yeah, I know. But why should Azula care? It isn't her life…and she doesn't even care about Zuko, does she?'

'Well believe it or not, she does. Thanks for caring about how a friend feels about a friend getting together with her boyfriend. That's some real friendship there.'

And with that, Ty Lee signed off of the messenger. Katara only sat there and blinked. She didn't know what to do or what to say or anything. She quickly blinked away the formations of tears as a knock came to her door. She turned her chair around as she saw her father poking his head through.

"Hey, Katara. Dinner's ready." But all Hakoda got was a nod from her. This concerned him as he slipped into his daughter's room and closed the door behind him. "What's wrong? Is it that sophomore boy, again? You know, if he keeps treating you like this, then -"

"Dad. It's not Zuko. It's Ty Lee, Azula, and Mai."

"Oh. Your friends?"

"Apparently not." Katara sniffed, making sure her sleeve covered her hand and wiped her nose upon said sleeve.

"What happened?"

"Azula is Zuko's little sister, Mai is Zuko's ex, and Ty Lee is their follower. Ty Lee wants to be friends with me, I know it…but Azula and Mai are stalking me whenever I'm around Zuko and they're keeping Ty Lee from really talking to me. Ty Lee agrees with them that I shouldn't go after Zuko, though. And he invited me to a party and I don't know what to do." Her voice came in a flurry of fast spoken words that really didn't make any sense to Hakoda. When she finished and took another deep and sniffling breath, he waited a few seconds to make sure she was done.

"Alright. Now tell me what happened again. A little more calm, if you would." He requested, smiling warmly and sympathetically at the only piece he had left of his wife. Katara nodded agreement and retold her story, speaking a tad more slowly and explaining in a little more depth as to what was going on. Her father listened quietly, nodding and smirking softly every few seconds or maybe throwing in a frown here and there. After she had finished, the man blinked and waited for Katara to calm down again before speaking.

"Well, it sounds to me like they aren't really your friends and never really were. But maybe that's just me. If you really like this boy, then go for it. They aren't your friends if they're not talking to you just because you like someone they all seem to be related to in one way or another. That's one thing you'll learn. They aren't real friends if they expect you to follow every single order of theirs. Sorry to say, but they're manipulating little bitches." That last statement made Katara chuckle and nod in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess they are." She wiped her cheeks and looked over at her father. "So what should I say to Zuko? He's expecting a call back and I don't have an answer from you yet."

"About what now?"

"About the party. If I could go or not." At this point, there was another knock on her door and Sokka poked his head in.

"Um…is anyone going to come eat? Katara…why are you -" The boy was cut short when he got a stern glare from both his father and sister. "Okay then. Anyway, is anyone coming? Dinner's getting cold."

"Yeah, we'll be down soon." Sokka nodded but slipped inside his sister's room, leaving the door open behind him.

"So, dad. About this party?" Katara asked again after she tore her eyes from her brother. This question brought back the older man into the conversation that they were previously having.

"Yeah. You can go. I'd prefer it if Sokka and Suki went with you as well. But you can go." That brought a grin of joy across the face of Katara as she moved from her seat and went over to hug her dad.

"You got invited to Haru's party tomorrow, didn't you, Sokka?"

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah, I did. Me and Suki were going to go anyway. So yeah. But can we please go eat? I'm really hungry and I don't want to eat cold meat."

--

Katara made her way back up to her room from the dining room. She felt bad for not calling Zuko before she went to eat dinner, but she was hungry and Sokka would have killed her if she didn't go join them in the dining room so that they could eat right that second. She had sighed and protested, but she had lost when her stomach growled at her to be fed. She plopped back down into her chair and picked up her phone, dialing up Zuko quickly before holding the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" The voice of an elderly man answered her call after the ringing sounded a few times.

"Hi. Is Zuko there?" She asked, a little timid as to if she had the right number or not.

"Yes, hold on."

"Thank you." A few seconds later and Zuko's voice sounded on the other side of the line?

"Hello?"

"Hey, Zuko. It's me, Katara."

"Oh! Hey, Katara. Took you long enough to call back. I thought you were just being nice in turning me down by not calling back." He was smiling softly to himself as he thought of the girl.

"No. My dad and brother just dragged me down for dinner before I could call you back."

"So? What's the verdict?"

"I don't care how much Ty Lee, Mai, and Azula torture me for this, but yeah. I would love to go. And I can. So yeah." Her heart raced silently, as she awaited his response.

"Nice. So, the devious trio getting to you, too?"


End file.
